Monday, August 16, 2010
by Amanda.
I need to review my records, but I believe next week is my moving to NYC anniversary. Five years, baby!
That’s five years. At least four different hair colors. Three apartments. Four full-time jobs. Three bad break-ups.
Countless heart swelling, “This is where I’m supposed to be” moments. A significantly smaller number of “I’m over this” moments. (Most of those involved apartment woes, I think).
Here’s a question from Jennifer:
I am moving to NYC tomorrow from Texas. I have wanted to move there since the first time I visited and have lived here for my whole life. I am so incredibly emotional and nervous, thank God my sister is going with me for a few days. I will be going to grad school starting the 30th. Any advice for the first few days of wtf am I doing?
My response:
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
by Amanda.
When my blog finally got a new look over the weekend, it was like one of those scenes in What Not To Wear, in which a 36-year-old woman finally cuts the godawful hair she’s been growing out since she was 15.
She’s all weepy and you know the two bitchy co-hosts are biting their tongues, trying not to say, “Do you realize this is the first time since George H.W. Bush was in office that you haven’t looked like shit?”
The path to a new blog design was not without its potholes. I had this vision that one person nodded at, but never produced. And then the same vision that another person nodded at, never mentioned again, and it was all about to be forgotten. Until I realized, “I could be married to this guy before I get him to design this blog layout.”
And I’m not the marriage-minded type.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
by Amanda.
You know something good has happened when someone other than your mom is reaching out to see if you’re dead, survived only by one neglected blog.
Here’s a question from Kazzy in Australia, whom I’m imagining is like a more Crocodile Dundee version of The Fonz:
Six days and no blog, just wondering if you are on holidays or something big is happening for you? I’m not a Tweeter, so don’t keep up with you there. I await a post.
My response:
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
by Amanda.
I’ve been asked by at least five people now about my Queen Helene hookup.
Here’s a question from another Amanda:
I live on the UWS and am desperately searching for Queen Helene’s stuff! Where is this magical store?
I’ve had similar questions from various pore-conscious men and women in NYC.
My response:
Monday, June 28, 2010
by Amanda.
Someone asked me the question in the title on Formspring in the middle of the I Am A Super Woman head blogger search. I didn’t answer it until last night.
I have mixed feelings sometimes about my career of choice. I say career of choice, because I know I can do a lot of things. In the nearly five years since I graduated college, I’ve held a few jobs in different sectors and industries.
I hate the idea of choosing a college major or dream merely because it’s realistic. It’s like always wearing a helmet or waiting until you have something in writing - it disrupts the rhythm of just doing. Sometimes when you have too much to fall back on, you fall back too easily.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
by Amanda.
I’ve changed a lot since college. Loosened up. Started procrastinating. Abandoned the pursuit of A’s, straight or gay. (Do you know how many gay men I’ve pined for in my life? The number is staggering).
Here’s how I haven’t changed since college: I still live in a small, noisy space among a bunch of strangers. They also smoke a lot of the Mary Jane.
It’s so much nicer to say “No, thanks” now than “As your RA, I’m going to have to call the campus police, who will be here in 45 minutes. Enjoy eating your stash while I’m uptight on the other side of the door.”
You know, I haven’t thought about college in a long time. I should try that again sometime.
Here’s a question from Amanda T.:
My name is Amanda, too! I’m from Dallas, and I came across your site when I was looking up dorms at UT Austin. I can see from an older post that you attended there? I will be attending this fall and was wondering what dorm you stayed in, and if you could tell me anything about the other dorms. Moore-Hill is my first choice, only because my roommate picked it as hers. Thanks!
My response:
Friday, May 14, 2010
by Amanda.
A few months ago, one of my college friends was venting to me via instant messenger. He’s a science teacher at a low-performing school in San Antonio now, which is to say, “The kids are crazy!”
Kids are always crazy to some extent at any school, but science class really brings that out in them. There’s something about all the potentially hazardous chemicals and entropy.
I haven’t taught in a classroom in a few years, but I’m happy to give my thoughts on teaching. Mind you, I’m no expert. My best interactions with kids are one-on-one or in small groups. But I can still think like a teacher.
Here’s a question from Billy, who is no doubt a crazy kid but seems very much like a student I’d like:
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
by Amanda.
The song “Empire State of Mind” celebrates New York as the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of.”
My first thought is “Huh? Who learned you that grammar?”
My second thought is “I know exactly what you mean.”
Whatever your dreams, you can probably chase them in NYC. And you won’t be alone. The NYC marathon is everyday.
Here’s a question from Lisa:
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
by Amanda.
Every time I write or say this, I feel redundant. But here we go again: I originally thought this blog’s audience would consist entirely of people who share my DNA.
I was just out of college and moving far from home. I thought I’d have interesting things to say that my parents would care about. Maybe later I’d want to revisit those confused, adverb-heavy years of learning NYC. Perhaps someday I’d have a child way more sophisticated than I who’d look at my feelings and observations and with a gentle shake of the head, tear me a new one.
That’s still the purpose of this very long Internet writing assignment, though I’ve been read by many more along the way. The experience has been more rewarding than I ever intended, something else I stumbled into, like my favorite songs and foods and people.
Here’s a question from James, one of my fiction classmates:
Your blog helped me procrastinate for several hours this week. I especially enjoyed reading about your experiences teaching in Harlem. You have some good material there for a black comedy. The bookshelf is a great idea, and I was surprised to find that I have read precisely none of the works on your list. It’s a testament to how much is out there that two people who read as much as we do would have no overlap… Also, any advice you have for me regarding blogging is greatly appreciated.
People ask me this fairly often. Here’s another question I got recently from Dain:
Thursday, April 1, 2010
by Amanda.
New Yorkers don’t look up and take in the view nearly enough.
Why?
Because we live here, dammit, and we’re in a hurry to do something mundane. Like make enough money to pay for our decrepit apartments.
Also, if you don’t keep your head at the right angle, you just might step into something you don’t want to.
Like a steaming pile of animal waste. Or an open manhole.
Here’s a question from Kris:
